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kaileed's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder
applecakedragon's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder
mscalls's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
kir's review
3.0
I found this an interesting book but did also find it started to get repetitive as it went on.
Takeaways:
- Eating is a learned skill and can be changed at any age.
- Small, repeated exposure is the best way to learn to like new foods.
- Eating should not involve deprivation, or be a substitute for emotion/reward.
Takeaways:
- Eating is a learned skill and can be changed at any age.
- Small, repeated exposure is the best way to learn to like new foods.
- Eating should not involve deprivation, or be a substitute for emotion/reward.
mostlyshanti's review
4.0
This books was simply marvelous, and really made me think about how I have learned to eat. It’s a science book, but something—perhaps the odd personal anecdote, perhaps the vitality which is such and essential part of being a good journalist, perhaps something else—make it glow with warmth, something which is all too often missing from non-fiction.
While I can imagine revisiting this if/when I have children, I found the ‘how to teach your children to eat’ bits a bit superfluous, just because they were less related to me. However, they are still meticulously researched, and the depth of case studies, such as Clara Davies research, make the story of food all the more fascinating. The context that Bee Wilson gives other studies is powerful, and she then uses this to indicate the relevance to children. That said, First Bite remains utterly Western focused—Western diets, Western culture, all that stuff (though the bits about Chinese grandparents and plumpinut in Bangladesh remain interesting, they are still somewhat…otherised, which is fine, I get it but still)
First Bite is an excellent book to read if you want conversation starters because you can bring it up at any social gathering which involves food with a relevant tidbit. I was at my (gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, generally healthy) aunt’s house, and I mentioned the subject of the book. She immediately told me how ‘studies have shown’ (how I loathe that phrase!) that the first thing a baby tastes should be (her ultra healthy I guess? weapon of choice,) fermented vegetables. I had conversations about moderating your diet and reasons to be vegetarian and reasons not to, and eating disorders and all sorts of things connected to world of food. As Bee Wilson points out, food is, or should be, sustaining. It can sustain conversations and relationships as well as bodies. (I’m reminded of the scene in Brooklyn Nine Nine, best show ever, where Scully and Hitchcock go on strike, but continue to munch on potato chips because ‘the doctor said they have no nutritional value’)
My two biggest takeaways from this book are, firstly, that hunger is okay. It can be easily solved, but it need not be immediately solved. Since reading First Bite I’ve been trying to get better at living with hunger (like, when I’m not doing the 40 hour famine). The other ismy love of greasy potatoes that eating is a life long thing; each chance I get to eat [insert something good-but-unhealthy here—ambrosia, hot chips, pizza, ice cream, ice cream, ice cream, lollies, chocolate etc.] will not be the last time, so moderation is a good idea. These were things that I kind of vaguely knew vefore reading this book, but there’s nothing like hearing good, scientifically backed sense, delivered in a pleasant female English accent, calm and wholesome.
While I can imagine revisiting this if/when I have children, I found the ‘how to teach your children to eat’ bits a bit superfluous, just because they were less related to me. However, they are still meticulously researched, and the depth of case studies, such as Clara Davies research, make the story of food all the more fascinating. The context that Bee Wilson gives other studies is powerful, and she then uses this to indicate the relevance to children. That said, First Bite remains utterly Western focused—Western diets, Western culture, all that stuff (though the bits about Chinese grandparents and plumpinut in Bangladesh remain interesting, they are still somewhat…otherised, which is fine, I get it but still)
First Bite is an excellent book to read if you want conversation starters because you can bring it up at any social gathering which involves food with a relevant tidbit. I was at my (gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, generally healthy) aunt’s house, and I mentioned the subject of the book. She immediately told me how ‘studies have shown’ (how I loathe that phrase!) that the first thing a baby tastes should be (her ultra healthy I guess? weapon of choice,) fermented vegetables. I had conversations about moderating your diet and reasons to be vegetarian and reasons not to, and eating disorders and all sorts of things connected to world of food. As Bee Wilson points out, food is, or should be, sustaining. It can sustain conversations and relationships as well as bodies. (I’m reminded of the scene in Brooklyn Nine Nine, best show ever, where Scully and Hitchcock go on strike, but continue to munch on potato chips because ‘the doctor said they have no nutritional value’)
My two biggest takeaways from this book are, firstly, that hunger is okay. It can be easily solved, but it need not be immediately solved. Since reading First Bite I’ve been trying to get better at living with hunger (like, when I’m not doing the 40 hour famine). The other is